Experts: Watch out for AI-generated fakes and disinformation about voting ahead of Election Day

During polarized times, elections become flashpoints for false claims and bogus rumors about candidates and voting.

The News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan nonprofit, is tracking and cataloging examples of election-related falsehoods for our Misinformation Dashboard: Election 2024, with more than 800 examples so far.

Experts are available to comment about what the dashboard shows are the most common narratives and tactics being used to spread falsehoods about the election, to provide tips for voters who want to find credible information online, and to offer insights on the role of social media, artificial intelligence and more.

As Americans head to the polls, here are three election disinformation trends the News Literacy Project’s experts say voters should watch out for. More tips are available here.

1. Expect to see raw videos presented out of context as “evidence” of fraud.

Tricks of context — misinformation that takes an image, quote or other piece of content out of its original context in ways that change its meaning – are by far the most used misinformation tactic this election cycle, according to the misinformation dashboard. About 44% of examples collected by the News Literacy Project use these simple techniques, which are also sometimes called “cheap fakes.”

“People determined to sow doubt in the integrity of American elections will misrepresent video footage of poll workers doing ordinary parts of their jobs. Trolls are also known to stage footage of ballots being destroyed. An actual voting fraud scandal would be covered extensively by credible news outlets, not just shared on social media,” said Peter Adams, who oversees the creation of the News Literacy Project’s free resources as Senior Vice President of Research and Design.

Tip: Sensational claims require extra scrutiny online. Pay attention to the source and whether it’s trustworthy, or just trafficking in partisan posts.

2. Remember that recent artificial intelligence technologies make it easy to fabricate convincing images, video and audio. 

AI has sown doubt and confusion in this year’s election cycle, but not because of the quantity of falsehoods generated or spread by the technology: Only a small fraction of examples in the misinformation dashboard – about 6% — involve the use of AI. The greater impact has been on our willingness to trust information we see online.

“Generative AI technology is behind a concerning trend in how people approach online content: fostering cynicism and ‘deep doubt.’ It has led to a prevailing belief that it is impossible to determine if anything is real. This attitude is now being exploited by accounts falsely claiming that genuine photographs are AI creations,” wrote Dan Evon, who has collected many of the examples featured in the misinformation dashboard, in a recent blog post.

Tip: If people are sharing what they say is a shocking photo, video clip or audio recording of a candidate in the days leading up to the election, it might be an AI-generated fake. Check it against standards-based news sources to see if it’s real. And understand that in a breaking news situation, it could take time for credible news outlets to confirm the facts.

3. Be ready for partisan claims about voter fraud and ineligible voters — even though election fraud is exceedingly rare. 

It’s become popular during the last few presidential elections for campaigns and supporters to claim — even in advance — that cheating will take place. But the evidence is clear: Election fraud cases are extremely rare.

“Ever heard the phrase, if you ‘repeat a lie often enough … it becomes the truth’? It’s often credited to Nazi Joseph Goebbels, one of the most notorious and malevolent propagandists in history. This law of propaganda drives much of the misinformation we find online. Our vulnerability to oft-repeated falsehoods and the “illusion of truth” effect makes it crucial to understand the common themes and narratives of viral misinformation,” Evon wrote in a recent blog post.

Tip: Learn to recognize the common tactics and themes used to spread misinformation, and you can protect your vote from being swayed by falsehoods.

About the News Literacy Project

The News Literacy Project is a nonpartisan nonprofit building a national movement to ensure that all students are skilled in news literacy before high school graduation, giving them the knowledge and ability to participate in civic society as well-informed, critical thinkers. Founded in 2008, NLP is the country’s leading provider of news literacy education and works with educators in all 50 states. Learn more at newslit.org.